September is always a brutal reminder that summer is fast coming to a close. I've always considered myself a "summer girl", I just love the busyness that the season brings and I can spend day after day out at the lake, hiking in the mountains and chasing pavement on road trips just to sleep out under different stars.
Each year when summer ends I realize just how much I've neglected my self-care. After being couped up all winter it's really easy to try to pack as much action into the sunny months, however, sometimes we end up feeling a little worn out come fall.
Those last couple of weeks of summer, the ones where you can feel that autumn chill start to creep up on you, are what I like to call "Self-Care Season". This is the best time for taking some time to relax and rejuvenate after a hectic summer season.
Self-care can take a variety of forms. It doesn't always have to mean drinking a glass of wine in a bathtub (although on some days thats totally my kind of self-care). We also have to be careful to balance our self-care routines. Emotional or mental self-care is just as important as the physical. You can't shine on the outside if you're feeling stormy on the inside!
Here are some great ways to explore your self-care this season!
Intention Setting
The end of the year can really sneak up on you! It's time to remember all the goals you made at the beginning of the year and evaluate what (if any?!) progress that you've made. It's not too late to end the year on a high note even if you've been slacking off on your goals. Think about what you want to achieve in the last few months of the year. Have your goals changed at all? Now is a good time to put your intentions out there!
Get Moving
This may seem a little contradictory, I literally just said it's time to slow down! During the summer it's so easy to break your routine and procrastinate just to kick yourself once the season changes again. Now is the time to get back into your favourite work out routine. Or maybe it's time to try a new one! Yoga, Spin, Barre, there are so many new and exciting ways to stay active while building a routine to see you through the new year. A huge part of self-care is doing things for yourself that help to improve yourself. While sitting on the couch watching Netflix may seem a tad more relaxing, exercising will definitely feel more rewarding.
Aromatherapy
Nothing is more relaxing then lighting up a couple new candles and just enjoying being submersed in the scent. Aromatherapy is proven to increase energy levels, help stave off depression, relieve stress and strengthen your immune system. Make sure the candles that you pick are soy based (petroleum based candles can leave soot residue in your home and in your lungs!) for clean burn. Some great scents for fall are sandalwood, mint, cinnamon and apple!
Read a Book
How many times this summer did you stop long enough to read a book for fun? Reading is a great way to relax and is so vital to personal growth and development. You never knew what you never knew! Taking the time to sit down and just read for a couple of hours is a great way to clear your head and make way for new ideas. Spirit Gypsy has a great collection of spiritually inclined books that can help you open up the doors to all kinds of self discovery this fall!
Long Hot Baths
Hot baths are almost synonymous with self-care, and there's a good reason why! There are so many benefits to taking a hot bath that I really couldn't leave it off this list. A hot bath can elevate your mood, soothe muscle pain (throw some bath salts in your bath as well for added benefits), increase the production of melatonin which will help you rest better, and lets face it they're just straight up relaxing. Lots of the things on this list can also be accomplished in the bath tub. Reading a book? Check. Aromatherapy? Check. Burn some candles around the bath tub, it may seem like a cliche out of a movie but it is actually divine.
